


Take the shot

by galaxyostars



Series: War of the People [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Explicit Language, Original Characters - Freeform, Original work - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2015-11-17
Packaged: 2018-05-02 01:24:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5228555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxyostars/pseuds/galaxyostars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This single bullet may be the tipping point of a five-year-long war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take the shot

_"This is gonna change the balance. I still can't believe they didn't send special forces in to do it."_

Naran simply set up her rifle, no expression adorning her face. There was no point - not as if anyone was there to see it. By the time she'd unfolded it and set herself upon the ground, she'd managed to form a response. "To those guys, we _are_ special forces."

_"We should get paid more, then. The shit we do for those assholes up top, only to be told we're expendable."_

The sniper cracked a smile, setting up her target as she spoke again - more quietly. "You mean paid in compensation."

_"Something like that."_

"How's Baxter?" She made another adjustment.

_"Better. That shot those Isamai got in fucked his leg, though. A clean exit is gonna be tricky, but I'm not keen on leaving him behind."_

Getting her up to this position meant that they'd needed a distraction, get the Isamai away from this building. It was the only clear shot she had of the oil rig - everywhere else was covered somehow and wouldn't make it clean. So, the rest of the squad had caused a commotion, drawing away the guarding Isamai, though how she wasn't exactly sure. She'd heard yelling, and then Mills telling her to hike it up to her spot.

Naran had a few minutes at most to line up a clean shot. While it was nice for Mills to playfully engage her a little from the severity of the situation, it was also somewhat distracting, though she'd never mentioned this to him. None of the squad were friends, though she got along with Mills better than the rest of them - hell, she'd even shared a few drinks with him that one time.

"I think I've got a shot."

_"Can you take it?"_

She had to think about that answer. There was a severe wind she had to account for, but the longer she took the less time she had. Naran made one more adjustment. "Yes."

And now she was waiting for the go-ahead. She didn't want to make this call herself. The only reason she was here was because the military were unwilling to send their own people on this sort of job. Destroying the oil rig of an opposing force - the entire squad could be given the injection for this, regardless of the fact that it was a high ranking military officer that sent them here in the first place. Once this oil rig was on fire, there was no putting it out. The Isamai would lose their source of funding and (hopefully, if all panned out) they'd run out of guns, this generation of them dying out.

But that was the problem. Chop off one head, and another simply takes its place - and what's to say that that head isn't far worse than the one they're dealing with?

Naran realized that Mills hadn't yet responded.

"Urig?"

More silence, though she didn't dare retrain her rifle to where her squad was positioned.

_"Take it."_

"What?"

_"Take the shot. It's what we're here for. And with what they're paying, we can go underground or to a country with no extradition. We'll be fine, just take the shot."_

Her finger squeezed the trigger, the rifle kicking back against her shoulder but she handled it with practiced ease. She'd already started packing up the rifle when the explosion of the oil rig knocked her off balance, but she fought to regain control. She'd done it. If all went to plan, that shot would be the one to begin the end of this war - this pointless crusade of the Isamai.

Naran found herself sliding down the roof of a building, now sprinting away, full breath in her lungs. She didn't head back to the squad - the plan was to head in separate directions, meet a a rendezvous point. It was exactly what she was doing, despite the chaos in her com piece. She could hear Mills yelling orders, probably carrying Baxter as the squad fled on foot. Horaim had mentioned getting into a jeep, and though she was a far way from them, she could hear its engines from here. She didn't realize how much sound really carried in this desert.


End file.
